2013 Sustainability Report
“No pesticides, no GMOs, no synthetics, no funny business. Pure, natural, organic soaps and bodycare— no more, never less.” Luke Penney Founder and Owner
2 Our Story 4 What is a B Corp 6 Organic Standards 8 Resources 10 People 12 Packaging 14 Products 16 Philanthropy 18 Ingredients
For a lot of things in life, my Dad has always been there with good advice when I needed it: “Ignore those kids, your ears aren’t big, your head is just small,” and sure enough my head grew, eventually making my ears look smaller (kind of); “Read some Hemingway, focus on your writing, and practice those Mikan drills,” and I ended up getting into my favorite college in Maine to play basketball and befriended a couple classic novels; “Create a soap that doesn’t dry-out and make my skin itch.” Huh? Sitting on our favorite beach on Cape Cod with my Mom and sis’, I asked my Dad if he was serious or kidding about his soap comment. “Half kidding,” he said. So while I had never
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thought about making soap before, let alone an entire organic soap and bodycare line, my Dad’s quasi-serious piece of advice would turn out to be quite serendipitous. I had recently finished grad school where I learned the importance of the connections between our health, the environment, organic agriculture, and sustainable business. I had also come to realize from talking with many people, that there was a huge void in the global skincare industry for truly natural, organic products that were as effective (or more effective) than conventional products. And so, I started LEAP Organics with the simple goal of creating superior organic soap and bodycare products and
an even better business. Easily said, not so easily done. The more I learned, the more I realized all those six-syllable additives in other products are just cheap, chemical shortcuts for natural ingredients like organic shea butter, jojoba, olive oil, and aloe. Sourcing only the finest natural ingredients for LEAP wasn’t enough, though they had to be grown and harvested sustainably, while following strict certified-organic farming practices. No pesticides, no GMOs, no synthetics, no funny business. Pure, natural, organic soaps and bodycare— no more, never less. I built LEAP from the ground up using sustainable business principles. Renewable energy powers our production, or at least offsets our usage; recycled and recyclable materials constitute our packaging; and zero-waste principles guide our business decisions. We also committed to donating 1% of our annual revenues to global environmental non-profits and hope to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders in our communities.
soap and bodycare products that we are truly proud to share with you. Each of us has our morning and evening cleaning rituals, and we will be honored to become a part of your daily routine.
I started LEAP Organics with the simple goal of creating superior organic soap and bodycare products... Keep it clean,
Luke Penney Founder and Owner
LEAP Organics is a sustainable company with exceptional organic
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What are B CORPS? B Corps are certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today, there is a growing community of more than 760 Certified B Corps from 27 countries and 60 industries working together toward 1 unifying goal: to redefine success in business.
Why B Corps MATTER Certified B Corporations are leading a global movement to redefine success in business. By voluntarily meeting higher standards o f t r a n s p a r e n c y, a c c o u n t a b i l i t y,
and performance, Certified B Corps are distinguishing themselves in a cluttered marketplace by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business. We hope that you are inspired, not just by our vision, but by the movement’s ability to translate ideas into action. B Corps create higher quality jobs and improve the quality of life in our communities. And, as the movement grows, it has become an increasingly powerful agent of change. We are passing laws. We are driving capital. Government and the nonprofit sector are necessary but insufficient to address society ’s greatest challenges. Business, the most powerful man-made force on the planet, must create value for society, not just shareholders. Systemic challenges require systemic solutions and the B Corp movement offers a concrete, market-based and scalable solution. Over 600 businesses have already joined our community, encouraging all companies to compete not just to be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world. As a result of our collective success, individuals and communities will enjoy greater economic opportunity, society will address its most challenging environmental problems, and more people will find fulfillment by bringing their whole selves to work.
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COMPANY SCORE
OVERALL B SCORE
141
Accountability
12
Employees
N/A
Consumers
28
Community
61
Environment
41
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What does it mean to be CERTIFIED ORGANIC 8 Leap Organics
Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. The world’s most stringent organic certification process is the USDA’s National O r g an i c Pr og r am ( N O P ). A n organic product that is certified organic by the NOP guidelines is the gold standard. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. All of LEAP’s organic ingredients meet the USDA NOP guidelines.
LEAP uses Oregon Tilth to certify its organic ingredients and processes in accordance with the USDA’s guidelines.
and persistent chemical pesticide and fertilizers) for three years prior to the farm being certified organic.
Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. It includes a system of production, processing, distribution and sales that assures consumers that the products maintain the organic integrity that begins on the farm. National organic standards set out the methods, practices and substances used in producing and handling crops, livestock and processed agricultural products. Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. Organic foods are minimally processed without artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation to maintain the integrity of the food.
Secondly, farmers and processors must keep detailed and audited records of methods and materials used in growing or processing organic products. In addition, a third-party certifier approved by the USDA must inspect the methods and materials used annually.
For starters, no toxic pesticides or herbicides were used to grow the ingredients. In order to be an organic farm, the land on which the plants are grown must not have had prohibited substances applied (such as toxic
L a s t l y, a n d j u s t a s important, all handlers and farmers are required to maintain an Organic Systems Plan detailing their agricultural p r a c t i c e s. T h i s p l a n outlines how their specific farm will meet the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) s t a n d a r d s. Fo r m o s t farms, this means the use of: crop rotation to prevent soil depletion, planting cover crops to add nutrients back into the soil, releasing beneficial insects and birds to prey on pests rather than insecticides, and adding composted manure to help the land retain moisture and nutrients without the need for chemical fertilizers.
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Our biggest guilt as a company is that we use the Earth’s resources. So, we built LEAP from the ground up using renewable energy and zero waste principles. We are constantly trying to push the company towards having the smallest carbon footprint as possible.
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Our ultimate goal then, as a resourceefficient company, should be to put back more than we take. It’s almost an unachievable goal, but we’re trying to aim high!
it by purchasing carbon offsets from projects that support Native American, family farm, and communitybased renewable energy and carbon reduction projects.
We b u i l t L E A P f r o m t h e g r o u n d up, using renewable energy and zero waste principles, and we are constantly trying to push the company towards having the smallest carbon footprint as possible. We think we’ve done a darn good job so far, but we aren’t perfect and will always have work to do to improve. In some ways it can feel like that dream we’ve all had where the monster is chasing us and we just can’t seem to run away fast enough. In a way, our monster is our carbon footprint. Run, LEAP, run!
One of our initiatives moving through 2010 and into 2011 is to continue to work with NativeEnergy to catalogue our carbon footprint along our entire supply chain and work to further reduce it. We will report on this progress along the way.
One of our company’s top priorities has been to use renewable energy to power all things LEAP. For our soap production, we are able to source approximately 80% of our energy needs directly from renewable sources, and that’s pretty cool. But for the other approximately 20%, and for our other non-renewable energy use, we offset it. We have partnered with NativeEnergy who helps us to assess our carbon footprint and to reduce
In addition to focusing on renewable energy, we also focus on utilizing zerowaste principles. These principles focus not only on re-use and recycling, but also on waste prevention by considering the entire product life cycle. One of the most important early decisions at LEAP has been how to limit all of the packaging materials for our products. For example, our skincare products will not be contained within secondary packaging (the outer box in which many companies put their products on the shelves). This cuts down on an extraordinar y amount of packaging and actually saves us money, too. We like when good decisions for the environment are also better for our bottom-line!
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Work with nice people and treat our customers as friends we simply have yet to meet. Our people philosophy is fairly simple: work with curious, philanthropic, and creative people who know how to get things done. Then give them the encouragement to be curious, the flexibility to be creative, and the opportunity to be philanthropic. Most importantly, work with nice people and treat our customers as friends we simply have yet to meet. There are so many people who help LEAP Organics each and every day, and we can’t thank them enough!
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We are a bit obsessive when it comes to packaging, and we spend hundreds of hours researching and testing the most environmentallyfriendly packaging material to use. Not only is the paper on out soap boxes 100% RECYCLABLE and BIODEGRADABLE, but it’s also made up of 50% post-consumer recycled material. The paper is also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (“FSC”), ensuring that it comes from sustainable, well-managed forests. In addition, the boxes are made with renewable energy, primarily supporting wind energy farms. And, if that wasn’t enough, we spent lots and lots of time creating our beautifully-designed packaging, or “bathroom art,” as we like to call it! Our organic skincare packaging is 100% recyclable and m a d e f r o m 2 5 % p o s t- c o n s u m e r recycled plastic (except the face lotion bottle, although it is 100% recyclable). We went through many, many extra steps to be able to house our products in some of the most sustainable packaging available to us, and we think it’s totally worth it.
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Our organic soap box packaging is manufactured using 100% renewable energy, supporting primarily wind energy.
The Forest Stewardship Council (“FSC�) logo certifies that our organic soap box paper comes from sustainable, wellmanaged forests.
All of our organic soap packaging is 100% recyclable and biodegradable and made up of 50% post-consumer recycled material. Our organic skincare packaging is 100% recyclable and made from 25% post-consumer recycled material.
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Certified organic ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides, all of which can pollute and damage our environment and get into your products. “Natural” ingredients may be natural, but if they are grown with agriculture chemicals, not only can they end up on your skin and cause irritation, but they can also pollute our soil and land. Yuck. In addition, organic farming can greatly reduce the use of fossil fuels since its practices don’t use agricultural chemicals, which can account for over half of on-farm energy use. Organic practices like crop diversity, nutrient replacement, and water conservation a ls o le a d t o h ea l th i er so i l a n d l a n d. Wo r m s e v e r y w h e r e l o v e organic farmers. In addition, we source Fair Trade ingredients when possible and make this a part of our sustainability mission. The organic shea butter in all of our bar soaps is certified Fair Trade by TransFair USA, one of the world’s leading certifiers of Fair Trade ingredients. The Fair Trade Certified™ Label guarantees consumers that strict economic, social and environmental
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criteria were met in the production and trade of an agricultural product. One of the goals for LEAP is to continue to so u r ce a d d i ti o n a l Fa i r Tr a d e ingredients for our products. Our products are also cruelty-free and we never test on animals. We support the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) and PETA, and we proudly show the “Bunny” symbols on our site and products. These symbols identify companies like LEAP that do not test on animals. Besides, most of the animals we know live outside and enjoy nature’s free showers, so why would they even need to test our soaps? Exactly. Lastly, and most importantly, we proudly list ever y ingredient we use on our labels and website. We’d have it no other way. Cross our hearts.
Much of a company’s impact on the world comes from the ingredients it uses, so we’re big sticklers on the ingredients we use and what goes into our products.
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In addition to making good products, being able to give something back to charitable causes that have meaning to us is why we started LEAP, and we will donate a minimum of 1% of our annual revenues to global environmental non-profits. It’s always felt like the right thing to do as a community partner, plus it helps to provide some context around why we “ work.” When we’re up at 1am researching new ingredients and packing boxes and writing emails, there needs to be somewhat of a “higher calling” to support all of that work. Besides, if that karma thing ends up really working, we’d rather be on the good side of things.
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We are members of 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental non-profits worldwide. Since 2010, we have donated to Clean Air-Cool Planet, Trees For The Future, and The Student Conservation Association. Each of these non-profits all have one thing in common – they encourage our communities’ young people to take an active role in helping to preserve and to protect our environment. We love each of these groups and, if you look at nothing else on our website, please take a minute to read about them below and check out their websites. They will inspire you.
CLEAN AIR- COOL PLANET is the leading science-based, nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated solely to finding and promoting solutions to global warming, providing hands-on assistance to companies, campuses, communities and science centers throughout the Northeast. Find out more at www.cleanair-coolplanet.org.
Since 1989, TREES FOR THE FUTURE has helped communities around the world to restore their lands by planting more than 65 million trees through seed distribution, agroforestry training, and country programs, and its Tree Pals Program educates young people on global environmental issues. Find out more at www.treesftf.org.
The STUDENT CONSERVATION A SSOCIATION (SCA) is a non-profit group whose mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of our environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land through service opportunities, outdoor skills, and leadership training. Find out more at www.thesca.org.
1% FOR THE PLANET was started by Yvon Chouniard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies. Essentially, they wanted to create a Good Housekeeping-like seal of approval for companies to show people where they stood on the environmental crisis. 1% for the Planet was launched to be an alliance of businesses pledging to donate at least 1% of their sales toward active efforts to protect and restore our natural environment. Almost 1,300 companies have joined to donate 1% of their annual sales to a global network of over 2,000 environmental organizations. To find out more, visit: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.
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Our skin is the first line of defense and the largest organ of the body. Like a sponge, it soaks up the products and environmental elements we expose it to (think how those chemical patches work). Therefore, we need to protect it, nurture it, and care for it. This means being mindful of the types of products we use on our skin each and every day. For thousands of years, nature has provided some of the most effective ingredients, offering key nutrients and vitamins for skin health. So, we spent over two years researching Mother Nature’s finest goodies to craft the most effective and restorative soap and skincare products we could – all from nature. Our bar soaps contain ingredients you’re more likely to find in a farmer ’s market, while conventional products and even some “natural” ones are filled with sixsyllable additives that are just cheap, chemical shortcuts for pure, organic ingredients like shea butter, lavender, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. LEAP’s bar soaps contain among the highest levels of certified organic, fair trade shea butter on the market, and we only use 100% certified organic essential oils like lavender, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. While you cleanse with our soap, the shea butter intensely moisturizes and nourishes your skin
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with vitamins A, E, and F, while our certified organic essential oils provide aromatherapy-like effects during your shower. Who knew a soap could do so much? We also took the time and care to make sure our manufacturing processes were up to snuff. Our bar soaps are made using a triple-milled process for your lathering pleasure, and they last longer than poorly made soaps too! Our bars are also vegan, crueltyfree, biodegradable, gluten-free, and manufactured using renewable energy. Yup, we covered a lot of bases with these sudsy concoctions. Our goal is to use all certified organic ingredients using USDA National Organic Program standards. The USDA’s organic criteria remain the world’s gold standard for certified organic ingredients. In those rare cases where a non-certified organic must be used, it must still be sourced from nature.
consumers that strict economic, social and environmental criteria were met in the production and trade of an agricultural product (to learn more, visit: www.transfairusa.org). One of the goals for LEAP over the next year is to continue to source additional Fair Trade ingredients for our products.
Our products are also cruelty-free and we never test on animals. We support the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) and proudly show the “ Leaping Bunny ” symbol on our site and products. This symbol identifies companies l i ke L E A P t h a t d o not test on animals. Besides, most of the animals we know live outside and enjoy nature’s free showers, so why would they even need to test our soaps? Exactly!
In addition, we source Fair-Trade ingredients when possible. The organic shea butter in all of our bar soaps is certified Fair Trade by TransFair USA, one of the world’s leading certifiers of Fair Trade ingredients. The Fair Trade Certified™ Label guarantees
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Ingredient
Purpose
Organic Acai Oil
Moisturizer/ Antioxidants
Organic Acai Seed
Exfoliant/ Antioxidants
Organic Aloe Leaf Juice
Soothe/ Calm
Organic Anise Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Toner/ Balancer
Organic Apple Juice
Cleanser/ Antioxidants
Organic Calendula Extract
Soothe/ Calm
Organic Chamomile Extract
Soothe/ Calm
Citric Acid
Preservative
Organic Clove Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Coconut Oil
Cleanser/ Moisturizer
Organic Cucumber Extract
Soothe/ Calm
Organic Cupuacu Butter
Moisturizer/ Nourisher
Organic Cupuacu Seed
Exfoliant/ Nourisher
Organic Eucalyptus Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Grapefruit Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Green Tea Extract
Soothe/ Antioxidants
Organic Jojoba Oil
Moisturizer/ Nourisher
Organic Lavender Flowers
Wholesome Bits
Organic Lavender Oil
Soothe/ Calm
Organic Lemongrass Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Lime Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Ingredient
Purpose
Organic Mint eaves
Wholesome Bits
Organic Murumuru Seed
Exfoliant/ Nourisher
Organic Olive Oil
Moisturizer/ Nourisher
Organic Orange Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Palm Oil
Cleanser/ Moistuizer
Organic Peppermint Oil
Scent/ Aromatherapy
Organic Pomegranate Oil
Moisturizer/ Antioxidants
Purified Water
Consistency/ Cleanser
Organic Ride Bran Extract
Nourisher/ Antioxidants
Organic Rooibos Tea
Soothe/ Antioxidants
Organic Rose Flower Water
Soothe/ Antioxidants
Organic Rosemary Extract
Soothe/ Nourisher
Organic Rosemary Leaf Powder
Wholesome bit
Organic Sesame Seed Oil
Moisturizer/ Antioxidants
Organic Shea Butter
Moisturizer/ Antioxidants
Organic Soy Lecithin
Thickener/ Nourisher
Organic Soymilk Power
Thickener/ Nourisher
Organic Sunflower Seed Oil
Moisturizer/ Cleanser
Organic Sweet Almond Oil
Moisturizer/ Antioxidants
Vegetable Glycerin
Soothe/ Moisturizer
Organic Watercress Extract
Soother/ Nourisher
Xanthan Gum
Thickener/ Consistency
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General & Product Info: info@leaporganics.com
Photo Credits: Pinterest.com Anna Esposito Photography leaporganics.com bonvivantbride.com.com mysticalmagicalherbs.wordpress.com Alexandra Sidun Photography www.localvoretoday.com hazelmariablakeley.blogspot.com www.northcountrypublicradio.org Anna Middleton Photography www.amillionlives.net www.allstarhealth.com blog.greendeals.org www.icebergwatereurope.com www.ladylux.com www.sourceone-energy.com